Who is Stealing the Show at E3 2006?

This year’s E3 has been arguably the best in the expo’s history with three new consoles, tons of playable games, and plenty of controversy to go around.

The question is, which company has made the biggest impression?

The bottom line is that the biggest (and most positive) buzz has surrounded Nintendo and its new Wii console. Gamers are completely fascinated by the Wii’s new controller and the potential that it has to revolutionize console gaming. Nintendo has always had the reputation of being the most innovative company among the big three, and this time it looks as if it might really pay off.

If lines to play games are any indicator, consider this – the wait to play Wii games on the E3 floor can take up to four hours. On the other hand, gamers at the Sony booth can often get their hands on a PS3 in 30 minutes or less.

Even Peter Moore, XBox chief at Microsoft, had nothing but praise for Nintendo – speaking of them as an ally of sorts in the battle against Sony.

That having been said, it seems that if there was a bronze medalist in this year’s expo – it just might be Sony and the PS3. Many, including the staff here at Nerd Approved have questioned whether or not the PS3 price unveiled this week might end Sony’s dominance in the console gaming market. Jerry Holkins of Penny Arcade (see Wired article) may have summed it up best saying:

“I think that (Microsoft) have their heads on straight….They’ve made a much truer gaming system than Sony has. They’re not trying to define the next generation of media content. That’s Sony’s aim — again. I think it’s a very different person who is going to spend five or six hundred dollars on a console right now.”

In my opinion, this console cycle represents Nintendo’s best chance to regain a shred of the dominance that they enjoyed in the 80’s and early 90’s. Their presence at E3 this year certainly puts them in a good positition to do just that.

As things are right now, I plan on owning an XBox 360 for it’s power, and a Wii for it’s unique style of gameplay. Sony has yet to prove to me that the PS3 is worth it’s inflated price tag – despite arguments to the contrary.